eChook™ Digital Publishing

Audio Download of Teleseminar: ‘Digital Age Secrets to Write, Promote and Publish Your Memoir’ Available Now in Story Studio

Posted on 11. Apr, 2012 by Tessa in Blog, Writing Tips

This seminar works for all types of writing, not just memoir, and if you click on the blog post below this one, you’ll find 3 essential tips and a companion worksheet that will help you get closer to you writing goals.

If you have any questions you’d like to ask, please post them in the Reply box or send them via email to editor@echook.com. We are developing a series of short instructional videos for YouTube and Ustream and your question may be featured in one of these.

To access the mp3, please sign up for Story Studio (top right of page).

Worksheet for Teleseminar Participants 3/30/12

Posted on 30. Mar, 2012 by Tessa in Blog

Thanks to everyone who dialed in to today’s chat. I hope you enjoyed it!

Below I’ve posted some notes and a useful ‘Where-am-I-Now?’ worksheet that you can print and complete to get you closer to your goals.

Writing Your Memoir – Three Essential Tips

1. Writing Dates – either with yourself, a date and time blocked out in your calendar at least three times a week (or every day – even better) or, if that doesn’t work for you, make a date with another writer to meet up, either physically or virtually, and write.

2. Write what matters. The beauty of writing memoir is that we’ve all had significant experiences – fantastic or horrendous – that can be crafted into a compelling story. The characters, situation and details are all at your fingertips. All you need to get going is your writing dates…

3. Revision beyond what seems necessary: one of the biggest surprises to me in my writing life has been how detailed and lengthy this process is – way beyond what I wish was necessary! The fact is, your finished story will only be as good as the process of revision you subject it to. Have each story read by at least three writers, if possible, but probably no more than five. That old cliche, ‘too many cooks spoil the broth’ is true. The more accomplished these writers are, the better your finished story most likely will be.

Publishing Your Memoir – Three Essential Tips

1. You’ll groan (this makes me roll my eyes) but, if you think your story is finished, there’s still one more thing to do: read it aloud, every word, and yes, edit it one last time. Reading aloud is the only way to tell for sure if your words are ringing true.

2. Have a calendar for submitting your work – literally a specific day and time. It takes some research to decide where to submit, and it’s easier to get together regularly with a small group and make a party of it. Each person can pick a few places to submit to, print their submission guidelines, swap the information with the others and then everyone can get together once a month over coffee or wine to stuff envelopes and/or submit online. You can use websites like tellitslant.com and submishmash.com (which require small payments) or submit free to places like eChook Digital’s SHOWCASE.

3. Post an inspirational quote somewhere you can’t miss it. I wrote my own and it’s this: “I don’t care how many times I’m rejected, or by whom. I will do my best to incorporate any comments and improve what I can, but I commit to taking the next step no matter what anybody says.”

Okay, I don’t truly feel this way in the evenings when I’m tired but every morning I do, and that’s good enough for me. If you’re getting rejections, you’re in the game, and that’s where you want to be!

And finally, whenever possible, have fun! This isn’t easy if what you’re writing is very dark, but most pieces of writing need both light and dark, otherwise the reader’s experience will be all one tone and that can be unsatisfying, so remember to take note of – and revel in – the writing that delights you in between those darker dramatic moments.

WHERE AM I NOW WORKSHEET?
WRITING:
How many words or hours are you writing each week?

How many do you want to do?

How can you make this change?

When will you start?

Are there life experiences you’d like to write about?

Which ones matter the most to you?

To determine that, write a list of 3 – 5 topics such as, The Day I knew X Loved me (or, The Day I knew I No Longer Loved X), or whatever works…
Give each topic a rating out of 10. 10/10 is the most meaningful, 1/10 is the least.

What vehicle for revision do you have currently?

How could it be improved?

Who might be most helpful to work with?

PUBLISHING:
Have you got writing languishing in a drawer that needs submitting (or re-submitting)?

Where do you want to be published?

Is this writing suitable for those markets?

How will you go about submitting?

When (day and time)?

With whom?

Have you got a quote about perseverance posted where you can see it? (Just Google ‘quotes on perseverance’ to find some).

Can you commit with a friend to hold each other accountable?

And finally, what other things could help you have a blast on your journey as a writer? New beliefs, new classes or new writer friends?

Writing. What a wonderful way of life!

Happy writing, and good luck!
Tessa

Friday 3/30 4.45pm EST Free Teleseminar and Audio Download: ‘Digital Age Secrets to Write, Publish, and Promote your Memoir’ March 30, 2012 4:45pm EST

Posted on 29. Mar, 2012 by Tessa in Blog, Press/Events

Get your questions ready!

NAMW is holding a free, all-day teleconference (which they’ve kindly asked me to be part of on March 30 at 4.45pm EST) and you can sign up to receive an audio download for the whole day’s presenters (other presenters are Smashwords founder Mark Coker,Dan Blank, Lynn Serafinn, Brooke Warner and Linda Joy Myers). That’s a lot of learning!

Here’s some of the description, and a link to more info and for sign-up:

MEMOIR WRITING IN THE DIGITAL AGE

The Year of the Memoir is 2012! Memoir writers have more tools than ever available for writing and publishing a memoir. But writers have many questions in this digital explosion…

We are happy to have as our guest Tessa Smith McGovern, an expert in epublishing with a special focus on memoirs.

Digital Age Secrets to Write, Publish, and Promote your Memoir

4:45pm EST/3:45pm CST/2:45pm MST/1:45pm PST

Everyone can get published. There is a system, a series of steps to follow, that writers have been using for generations and that you can follow too. There’s no quick fix, no magic bullet, but instead a reliable, life-affirming series of activities that will get you where you want to go. These days, all writers need to build a platform of readers, which means (at some point) creating your own website or blog, and posting excerpts of your work.

At eChook, we teach writers how to use the technical tools available to create their unique platform and reach larger audiences. All this can be done quickly and learned easily.

During the Telesummit, you will learn:

* The system that until now only been available to writers signed by agents and legacy publishers

* Why memoir is often the easiest genre to get published

* How to make your memoir stand out from the crowd

* Technical apps and digital chapbooks

* Contests that move your career forward

Tessa Smith McGovern is a short-story writer whose many publication credits include the Connecticut Review and the English Arts Council at the Southbank Centre, London. She is founder and editor of eChook Digital Publishing, which publishes short-story collections on multiple platforms: iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, Android, Nook, and Kindle, as well as original Web-based stories at echook.com. The stories, memoirs, fiction, and essays have been read by thousands of readers in 100 countries. eChook has over 24 million impressions on Facebook and 1,100+ Twitter followers. She teaches ‘Writing for Digital Media’ online and at Sarah Lawrence College.

You can sign up here: http://www.namw.org. They will send you the telephone number to call, and you can either participate or just listen.

Looking forward to it!

Tessa

Save the Date: Teleseminar on ‘Digital Age Secrets to Write, Publish, and Promote your Memoir’ March 30, 2012 4:45pm EST/3:45pm CST/2:45pm MST/1:45 pm PST

Posted on 19. Mar, 2012 by Tessa in Blog, Press/Events

The National Association of Memoir Writers (NAMW) is an amazing resource for writers of memoir. Founded by Linda Joy Myers, who’s clearly a human dynamo, the website is chock-full of free information.

Here’s a bit about Linda: She’s the author of ‘The Power of Memoir – How to Write Your Healing Story’ (Jossey-Bass, 2010), ‘Becoming Whole – Writing your Healing Story’ (Silvercat Publications, 2003), and the award-winning memoir, ‘Don’t Call Me Mother: Breaking the Chain of Mother-Daughter Abandonment’ (Two Bridges Press, 2005). She’s taught memoir writing for 15 years, and has been a therapist in Berkeley, CA for the last 32 years. She teaches and offers memoir coaching, editing and manuscript evaluation, and is a mentor to many memoir writers. You can visit her (delightful) blog at http://memoriesandmemoirs.com.

NAMW is holding a free, all-day teleconference (which they’ve kindly asked me to be part of on March 30 at 4.45pm EST) and you can sign up to receive an audio download for the whole day’s presenters (other presenters are Mark Coker (Smashwords founder),Dan Blank, Lynn Serafinn, Brooke Warner and Linda Joy Meyers). That’s a lot of learning!

Here’s some of the description, and a link to more info and for sign-up:

MEMOIR WRITING IN THE DIGITAL AGE

The Year of the Memoir is 2012! Memoir writers have more tools than ever available for writing and publishing a memoir. But writers have many questions in this digital explosion…

We are happy to have as our guest Tessa Smith McGovern, an expert in epublishing with a special focus on memoirs.

Digital Age Secrets to Write, Publish, and Promote your Memoir

4:45pm EST/3:45pm CST/2:45pm MST/1:45pm PST

Everyone can get published. There is a system, a series of steps to follow, that writers have been using for generations and that you can follow too. There’s no quick fix, no magic bullet, but instead a reliable, life-affirming series of activities that will get you where you want to go. These days, all writers need to build a platform of readers, which means (at some point) creating your own website or blog, and posting excerpts of your work.

At eChook, we teach writers how to use the technical tools available to create their unique platform and reach larger audiences. All this can be done quickly and learned easily.

During the Telesummit, you will learn:

* The system that until now only been available to writers signed by agents and legacy publishers

* Why memoir is often the easiest genre to get published

* How to make your memoir stand out from the crowd

* Technical apps and digital chapbooks

* Contests that move your career forward

Tessa Smith McGovern is a short-story writer whose many publication credits include the Connecticut Review and the English Arts Council at the Southbank Centre, London. She is founder and editor of eChook Digital Publishing, which publishes short-story collections on multiple platforms: iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, Android, Nook, and Kindle, as well as original Web-based stories at echook.com. The stories, memoirs, fiction, and essays have been read by thousands of readers in 100 countries. eChook has over 24 million impressions on Facebook and 1,100+ Twitter followers. She teaches ‘Writing for Digital Media’ online and at Sarah Lawrence College.

You can sign up here: http://www.namw.org

Looking forward to it!

Tessa

NOW AVAILABLE ONLINE: Sarah Lawrence College Writing Class – for the First Time Ever

Posted on 17. Feb, 2012 by Tessa in Blog, Press/Events

In response to student request, Tessa Smith McGovern’s class ‘Writing for Digital Media’, held at the Sarah Lawrence College campus in Bronxville, NY is now also available online. SIGN UP OPEN NOW.

WRITING FOR DIGITAL MEDIA: STRATEGIES FOR DEVELOPING YOUR ONLINE PRESENCE
Thursday, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.
March 1st – May 10th
11 Sessions, $575
SIGN UP HERE

Suitable for writers of long or short form, fiction, non-fiction or poetry, beginners to advanced.

The options for writers today can be overwhelming, but there is a system, a series of steps to follow to get published and build your platform, that writers have been using for generations and that you can follow too. There’s no quick fix, no magic bullet, but instead a reliable, life-affirming series of activities that will get you where you want to go.

In this class we will explore how writers can navigate the maze of digital media, focus on their strengths and build their platform in a way that meets their goals. These days, all writers need to build a platform of readers, which means (at some point) creating your own website or blog, and posting excerpts of your work. We’ll consider blogs versus websites, learn how each writer can get published, make the best use of social media and develop and execute their own, long-term Facebook and Twitter strategies.

You will learn:

* The system that until now only been available to writers signed by agents and legacy publishers – as it exists now in the digital age
* Which genre is often the easiest to get published
* How to make your work stand out from the crowd
* Technical apps and digital chapbooks
* Contests that move your career forward

To get the words flowing, we’ll read classic stories that still work in today’s digital world, and do some writing exercises of our own.

There are no prerequisites for this class, but writers should have some knowledge of, and be willing to explore, social media sites such as Twitter and Facebook. Please be prepared to produce new writing, and offer and receive productive critiques.

Tessa Smith McGovern is a short-story writer whose many publication credits include the Connecticut Review and the English Arts Council at the Southbank Centre, London. She is founder and editor of eChook Digital Publishing, which publishes short-story collections on multiple platforms: iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, Android, Nook, and Kindle, as well as original Web-based stories at echook.com. eChook has thousands of readers in 100+ countries, 26 million impressions on Facebook and 1,100+ Twitter followers.

Also, sign up for eChook’s newsletter ‘LITERARY DELIGHTS’ – enjoy a classic short story and a writing tip that illuminates technique as employed by the author as well as news and calls for submissions. CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP.

Love in the Digital Age, Part Two – How to Write Well About Love: a Ten-Minute Exercise

Posted on 15. Feb, 2012 by Tessa in Blog, Writing Tips

Unless you’re a genre writer, it can be tricky to produce good quality writing when your topic is love. Genre readers – those who love their bodice-rippers – have certain expectations in terms of plot and language and writers are expected to fill them. That’s nice and simple. For mainstream or literary writers, however, it can be time-consuming and difficult to write in a fresh way about love.

Here’s an example from ‘ Godsend: A Love Story for Grownups’ by NYT bestselling author Dalma Heyn and Richard Marek, of a description that works:

“Thick brown hair laced with strands of whitish gray makes the grown man roaming around the store’s kayak department look, at first, like a sun-bleached teenager. Pale blue eyes stand out against a tan. An athletic, fit body adds to an impression of a life spent outdoors. He’s not prematurely gray, he’s middle-aged–an important point, since it opens the field to women his own age, older or younger. He’s employed–as evidenced by the manila envelope clutched under his arm and the collection of pens and pencils poking out of the pocket of his fleece Patagonia jacket. Interested in his work, clearly, from a tell-tale, if cliched, pencil over his ear. A writer or an editor, no doubt. Smart, then, which is also important. No wedding ring, which is most important.

“He’s got his eye on a blonde woman in the skiing section. This is also relevant. For, while any unattached, ambulatory, attractive hetersexual male would do, Evan Cameron is a hunk: an athletic, brainy hunk actively looking for love. We have a catch here, not just a candidate.”

Excellent stuff!

Why does this work? First of all, the voice is strong. Someone is telling us about Evan, and that means there’s a story already in motion.

Secondly, it’s humorous. He’s ambulatory. Hooray!

Thirdly, he’s an editor or writer, so he’s intelligent and attractive – the type of character highly likely to appeal to mainstream and literary readers.

Fourthly, despite his intelligence (and, we surmise, a healthy dose of sensitivity), he’s got his eye on a blonde woman in skiing. So not only is he ambulatory, he’s looking for love and ready to pursue this woman. Who doesn’t want to read something intelligent about this age-old chase?!

So here’s the exercise: spend a few minutes thinking about one of your own ‘chase’ experiences. Remember where you were, what was said, how you felt. Then pick a character (real or imagined). Write a list of five attractive physical traits and five appealing character traits, such as sensitivity, generosity, sense of humor – whatever appeals to you. Write for ten minutes, without stopping, and describe your character.

To find out more about Evan Cameron and the details of his chase, you can buy the eBook on Kindle. It’s reduced to 99 cents ON KINDLE NATION.

Love in the Digital Age – Writing Exercise and Video

Posted on 14. Feb, 2012 by Tessa in Blog, Press/Events

Love isn’t just for Valentine’s Day. If we’re fortunate, it’s for every day, and it’s often the power behind a strong piece of writing. Readers register the depth of feeling without understanding exactly why they’re so moved. Consider this excerpt from Zora Neale Hurston’s ‘How it Feels to be Colored Me’:

“In the abrupt way that jazz orchestras have, this one plunges into a number. It loses no time in circumlocutions, but gets right down to business. It constricts the thorax and splits the heart with its tempo and narcotic harmonies. This orchestra grows rambunctious, rears on its hind legs and attacks the tonal veil with primitive fury, rending it, clawing it until it breaks through to the jungle beyond. I follow those heathen–follow them exultingly. I dance wildly inside myself; I yell within, I whoop; I shake my assegai above my head, I hurl it true to the mark yeeeeooww! I am in the jungle and living in the jungle way. My face is painted red and yellow and my body is painted blue. My pulse is throbbing like a war drum. I want to slaughter something–give pain, give death to what, I do not know.”

She never mentions love but, wow, you can tell she loves this music.

What makes you feel like that? Who makes you feel like that? Write for ten minutes to this prompt:

I first knew I loved him/her/it when…

And for a little Valentine’s Day fun, here’s a brief video entitled ‘Valentine’s in the Digital Age’. Enjoy!

Valentine’s in the Digital Age: wtnh.com

How Writers Can Build a Global Readership, and Flash Sales in iTunes

Posted on 10. Feb, 2012 by Tessa in Blog

Every now and then, we hold a sale in iTunes and every time, we’re delighted with the results. We get hundreds of downloads from dozens of countries around the world – China, Russia, Japan, Australia and England, to name just a few. It’s a wonderfully simple way for our writers to be read by hundreds of people and build a global readership – all with just a few clicks. And it’s all because of the technology that supports iTunes apps.

Here’s how it works: People all around the world download free apps that monitor price changes in the app store. (To find them, go to the app store on your device, search for ‘app price change’ or ‘app deals’ or ‘apps on sale’ and you’ll see different ones pop up. There are about a dozen.) Then these people check their newly downloaded apps to see what’s on sale (reduced price or free) and they download the ones that take their fancy.

But wait, there’s more, and this is the best part…because people around the world are buying new iPhones and iPads every day, there’s a constant influx of new readers coming to the app store. In fact, Apple doubled sales of iPhones and iPads in 2011, and sold 37m iPhones and 15m iPads in that year’s last quarter alone. Common wisdom has it that there are still many unpenetrated markets and that Apple is still far from saturation, so the future looks bright.

What can we say? We love Apple.

Memoir, Vol. 1 and London Road: Linked Stories are free in iTunes now until Sunday 12th Feb at midnight.

eChook has two calls for submissions open now. We look forward to reading your work!

Free Talk: How to Get Published Sat 4th Feb 12 – 2pm Fairfield Library

Posted on 03. Feb, 2012 by Tessa in Press/Events

Are you befuddled by all the options there are for writers in today’s digital world? Well, the good news is, it’s easier than ever to get published. There is a system, a series of steps to follow, that writers have been using for generations and that you can follow, too.

There’s no magic bullet, no quick fix, but instead a reliable, life-affirming series of activities that will get you where you want to go. In the first hour, you will learn:

* The system that, until now, has only been available to writers signed by agents and legacy publishers

* Which genre is often the easiest to get published

* How to make your work stand out from the crowd

At the end, there will be time for questions so you can get specific answers tailored to your needs.

About the Teacher:

Tessa Smith McGovern is a short-story writer whose many publication credits include the Connecticut Review and the English Arts Council at the Southbank Centre, London. She is founder and editor of eChook Digital Publishing, which publishes short-story collections on multiple platforms: iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, Android, Nook, and Kindle, as well as original Web-based stories at echook.com. The stories, memoirs, fiction, and essays have been read by thousands of readers in 100+ countries. eChook has over 24 million impressions on Facebook and 1,100+ Twitter followers.